Sudden Thoughts
by LexieAnge
Summary: Gajeel has finally come to the right conclusion. However he reads from the wrong book sending everything he dreams for into nightmares. Levy could fix it but Metalicana has a personal letter for her that could change her mind about her own dreams.
1. Chapter 1

Sudden thoughts

CHAPTER ONE

Levy got a new book. Nothing out of the ordinary. This time she doesn't know how to translate it. She had been given it by the last client. Gajeel had saved his farmers from a monster, that had been conjured from one of the client's other books, by a child of a maid. While Gajeel was out killing the beast Levy translated the book to see if anything else was dangerous about it. The flirtatious client didn't like Gajeel. The feeling was mutual, but any moment Levy was in the room he was on Levy like a fly on shit. That angered Gajeel. After their goodbyes Gajeel locked Levy in their sleeping car.

That had been something they learned to love when Gajeel was her handler on her infiltration mission. Lily and Gajeel took turns as her handler. He would watch her stay up all night as she prepared all her paper work. Depending on how many days trip it was he would pull her into bed to sleep. That is if remembered to bring their healer along for the motion sickness. Back at the guild again he missed those days. Back when it was just the two of them. During the single year, when the world didn't have the Fairy Tail guild. Now it was back.

Talking to Freed, Gajeel watched his Shrimp in all her glory. Bantering back and forth on the pattern of the language. He wished he could converse with her on her level but he would never be that smart. He was her strong arms. The one whom protected her when she couldn't protect herself. That suited him just fine. The Iron dragon slayer wondered if she would ever want more than that?

Sudden thoughts of a wedding. His Shrimp done up in baby's breath, calla lilies and lace. Her blue locks in curls, Lucy and Wendy walking before her as Gramps walked her towards him. Then a few years later Levy holding a tiny version of them. Their daughter would probably be a mini version of Wendy. Gajeel who never smiled, grinned widely at the thoughts of his Shrimp his for life.

She turned to him smiling as Freed reached for a book. Gods she would make a beautiful bride. Freed got her attention again. Gajeel turned to the book in question. Opening it he saw Draconic. They were on the wrong track. Maglovian was never going to get them any where.

"Yo, Shrimp get books on Dragon languages." Then Gajeel flipped the next page. His father's hand appeared. "Damn rusty dragon." Gajeel dropped down to the bench to read. "Never mind. I will translate it for you."

"Dragon?" Freed frowned.

"Gajeel, we figured it out already. It's not just Draconic. How can you read it?" She left Freed to join her slayer.

"I know who wrote this. It is Draconic." Gajeel frowned at a phrase. Before it his nickname. "Time flows as water. Stop the flow and reverse it." The book began the glow silver. He slammed the book closed. "Bastard wrote this then." Gajeel looked up at Levy. Her shock puzzled the slayer. "My Dad wrote this book when I was five."

"Gajeel, are you okay?" Levy stood over him. Why was she so much taller? "How do you feel?"

"Hungry but fine." She smiled. Suddenly she was picking him up. "Oi!" Dear god was he a cat again?

"You're sooooo cute." Her arms held him close. She shouldn't be able to do this. What did his dad do?

"It's time magic." Freed gasped. "With Ultear's passing, we don't know anyone that could help you." Levy held Gajeel to her chest. She was soft. Gajeel found himself falling asleep on her breasts.

"I will find away." Levy tried to hand Gajeel over to Freed , whom back away.

"Don't get me wrong. I'll help where I can, Levy, but frankly he is all yours. I can't handle kids." Levy pulled the mini naked slayer back, placing him on her hip. He was amazingly light. His clothes had stayed the same size. Levy drew clothes and out popped an outfit perfect for any little boy but him. The tee shirt even had a cartoon dragon on it. The shorts just below his knees and sneakers. Sneaker! No child of theirs would be caught dread in something Natsu would wear.

"Looks like you are my Shrimp now." Levy dropped Gajeel to the bench. Standing he was shorter than Levy. She began to get her slayer dressed. "Don't worry I will make you big." The play on the words he had said to her was adorably annoying. His Shrimp was having way too much fun at his expense. Freed was stunned. "Freed, can you get Pantherlily and the master?"

"What the hell happened to me?" Levy pulled a pocket mirror from her purse. His eyes were bigger, hair shorter and brown. All his piercings were gone. The only thing he kept was the scowl. "I'll kill that dragon."

"From what I can see you have become four to six years old." Levy smiled wildly. "You were adorable." Pinching his cheek.

"This is not funny, woman."

"Oh it is. Look at this little frown." He scowled deeper. She kissed his head. "Trust me. I will make you into your manly older self. I can translate anything." She sat down next to him. "Can you show me what you just read?"

"Right there next to my name." Levy smirked at the text.

"Mr Happy?" Gajeel blushed at her saying his nickname aloud. "You have always been this angry or you were born annoyed with the world?" She laughed at his scowl. "Hey, how often do I get to tease you?"

"When you get me big you're going to pay for it." He kissed her cheek. She blushed. "You're the one that is cute. Especially when I make you blush."

"Heavens!" The master exclaimed. "What happened?" Damn Gramps for coming in right then.

"My father is a jerk. That is what happened." Levy bit her lip to keep from laughing at the dragon slayer's pout. Instead she pulled him on to her lap. Her hands crossed over his lap. When he looked up at her she just continued conversing with Makarov.

"Give me a day or two and I will have Gajeel back to his annoying self."

"Oi, woman." She held tighter.

"Maybe a week at most. Just to see him squirm." Their master nodded. "I won't abandon him with you, Lil. I'll stay at your place. Heaven only knows what he can eat."

"You are amazing Levy. I could use the help. He's handful when he is a grown up. I don't envy Metalicana for raising this fowl mouth brat." Just what he needed. Even Lily was getting in on this.

"Don't worry, Lil. I will share the burden." Gajeel fell against her front. "Asuka will have someone to play with."

"We not going to get out of the hall unnoticed." Gajeel smelt the horrible fake vanilla perfume that Lucy wore getting stronger. "Especially since Flame Brain is outside the door."

At that moment the door opened. Levy tightened her grip on the child. Gajeel patted her hand. These were people they knew. It was safe. "Who's the kid?"

"I will teach you some damn respect, Salamander." Levy tried her hardest to hold Gajeel. Lily finally picked Gajeel up by the scruff. "Put me down, Lil. Flame brain needs a beating."

"Stop it, Gajeel." The tone in her voice stopped him dead in his tracks. She had never used that tone with him before. More motherly. Like the one she uses when she scolds her team mates. "Sit your ass down or you are going to bed hungry." Levy had her hands on her hips. Normally he would find that sexy but now that he was five he felt intimidated by the book worm. Intimated by Levy McGarden!

"Yes, Levy." He said kicking the offending book into Natsu's gut. Gajeel needed to get big before he lost all credibility.

"Gajeel!" Levy and Lily snapped.

"What?" Natsu lunged at the child only to get a Lucy punch to the back of the head.

"You are grounded." Levy said. He huffed. Lily bit his lip to keep from laughing. "You are going back home. If you are good by lunch tomorrow I will bring you back to the guild." As Levy packed up her books Lily packed up the slayer. The shocked looks and laughter continued as Levy paraded them out. Taking the long way to talk to Mira and then Juvia before leading them out.

A week of this will be too annoying. He better help her to be done faster. No way he was spending a week as a five year old. To make matters worse the twin dragon slayers saw them on the road to his house. Rogue stopped to talk Levy about a mission they were heading on.

Rogue eyed the small child. Gajeel tried not to look the younger slayer in the eye. "Shit, Gajeel?" Levy smiled as the slayer pinched the cheek of her strong as steel slayer. "Well Levy, you can preview what the guild has to look forward to when the mates start having babies."

"A week of this will drive everyone crazy." They laughed. Gajeel grumbled at them. "Yeah, the woman strong enough to make him happy will have to be steel herself to raise two or more of these little monsters." They all laughed but the child. Gajeel wondered if that meant, she didn't think she was good enough or that she didn't want that life. She was more that strong enough. She spent a year as a Rune Knight at his side hunting dark Guilds.

"That reminds me." Sting blurted as they were leaving. "Yukino wants to know when the next meeting is." Gajeel watched Levy pale. Frowns came from everyone but Lily. "What meeting is she asking about?"

"Book club." Gajeel saw her put one hand behind her back. "I kinda have a little problem right now that is going to take me about a week to deal with. Either Mira or I will call her." Satisfied the other dragons continued on their journey.

"You know they're together now. You could tell him."

"Rogue is still being a dumbass about it." Levy looked to Gajeel. "Plus I head the meetings and we're not official." Big Lil embraced Levy with one arm.

"You could be though. I don't why you are waiting." Gajeel looked down at his sad Shrimp. They were talking about Gajeel and Levy as an official couple. That would make the club the First Mates' Club not a book club. It would explain why she has been coming home smelling like other dragon slayers and Lucy.

Levy turned away from the slayer and his Exceed. "I kinda want to keep this safe until then."

"I understand. It's been a year since you started it. I don't think it will be a secret for too much longer." Levy nodded. "I am sure that everything will be finalized at the end of this issue."

"I hope so. I am starting to get antsy in this limbo." Gajeel watched her all the way home. After a conversation like that he would have taken her home faster. If he was his real size. Being five is going to torturous. Limbo? Sure they were always together now. Gajeel didn't feel like they were being very static. Was she sending him hints that he was missing? Oh shit? He had become as dense as Natsu. The First Mates' Club. Her slowly moving her books into his house. Lily's insistence that they renovate the house. Levy changing from her little orange dress to her new muscle shirt, leggings and short skirt thing.

Gajeel cursed his sudden thoughts. How long had been Levy been hoping he would get on her page? What page was she even on? When his Shrimp fixed his mistake, he was going to have to sit her down. Or show her her room. Now waiting in a week she would have her answers.


	2. Chapter 2

SUDDEN THOUGHTS

CHAPTER TWO

The first night was okay. Gajeel fell to sleep the second Lily laid him in bed. At midnight Levy joined her family in bed. She wasn't tired but Gajeel was groaning. Levy sighed as Gajeel stopped holding Lily to turn into her.

"Maybe after this we can talk about you giving me a tiny you." Levy pushed the hair from his eyes. "It would be amazing to see the look on your face. What kind of father would you make?" She held him tighter. "I love you, you fool iron slayer." Gajeel turned his head up to Levy and she was sleeping. She loved him. Wait, what? He loved her, sure. That was never in question. It would make him the happiest man on earth to have Levy McGarden as Levy Redfox but why was she just saying it now? What she waiting for him?

Morning came and Gajeel was the first one awake. Mostly because he couldn't breath. Levy wore one of his tanks as a night shirt. Her arm was over his side as the other was under his head. Somehow he had gotten his face into her chest. Snapping back he waited to get hit. She just curled more around him. Adult brain wanted to kiss her to wake her. Child body said he had to pee and now. Her quiet snore let him know she would be sleeping when he got back. Gajeel ran there and back. He hopped into a chair where he could watch her.

She turned towards him. A lock of hair fell over her closed eyes. Her breathing had shifted. She was awake. When her eyes fluttered open Gajeel's adult brain wanted to make love to his beautiful Shrimp, just to see them do that again. His little body told him no. She smiled at the small him. Being in this small body proved to him his want of her was move than just hormones and when he was big he would tell her. Curse this body. Curse his father. Curse that book.

Lily woke startled. "Levy, Gajeel is gone."

"Maybe he got so young he vanished." She groaned winking at the child him.

"You are not that lucky." They chuckled at him. "Someone has to make me food." Levy laid on her back. Lily in large form looked over the Shrimp. He imagined Levy and Lily as parents. He, their child. That didn't help Gajeel's worsening mood. From there is was down hill until supper time.

Gajeel was sent to bed with nothing to eat because he refused to eat what was in front of him. Levy had slaved over the stove most of the afternoon to make his favorites which he then made faces at after Lily complimented her cooking. Gajeel sat at the table watching the adults move around the room. He was jealous of Lily. Jealous that his best friend got to see this side of his Shrimp. Lily got to help her cook, stealing the veggies that she was cutting as she was cutting them. To see her scowl as Lily did so.

In his bedroom Gajeel, for lack of better terms threw a fit. There was nothing he could break in his own room. Most of it was metal. Why hadn't he seen her ready for his dreams? What could he do about this now? He was so angry. Last time he was fire it was because he was scared and alone. This time it was because all of his fears, and dreams were suddenly in front of him and there was not a goddamn thing he could do about it. Not to mention that this tiny body was always hungry. Pulling out the snack stash he had under the bed, Gajeel thought he was saved. Until he bit down on the iron. Levy found Gajeel next to the box on the floor crying.

"Gods, Gajeel. Are you okay?" She knelt across from him. "You really can't eat metal, can you?" He shook his head. Levy pulled him into her lap. The rocking was calming. "I'm sorry this happened to you."

"I don't know how much more of this I can take." She shushed him. Humming a song as she rocked.

"I will be right here when you need me." His tear drenched face gazed up at her. "I'm staying right here to help you. We will get through this just like we have everything else." She brushed the tears off his face. "We, three plus my boys, are the second strongest team in Fairy Tail. There is a reason for that. Do you know what that is?"

"No."

Levy smiled. "Love." Gajeel eyed her with caution and hope. "We are our own little family. We love and trust each other. We know the limits of our members and back each other up." She ran her had over his hair. "I know how far you can go right now and I am trying to meet you half way if you let me, Gajeel."

"I don't know what half way is."

"Good thing for you I'm the brains of our family." Gajeel launched himself at her. Arms around her dainty neck. "I love you, Gajeel. No matter what life brings us." She held him as he cried.

This wasn't like when the councilwoman was murdered. He didn't hide from her. Was it because he was five? Had he finally figured out that she wanted all of him? Levy didn't care the reason. She just wanted more of this. More of Gajeel leaning on her as more than an arm rest.

Gajeel was calm for the rest of the night. Not leaving her side. Falling a sleep in Levy's lap as she worked on the book. The following day was more of the same ill temper. Lily tried to take the boy out to train, with predictable results. At lunch Gajeel demanded that Levy cook instead of working on the book. With a sigh she came down. Gajeel demanded her time all afternoon. They went to the guild to go swimming with Mavis and Asuka. Just so Gajeel could see her in a bikini.

Levy had said that she loved him. While they were both awake. He had to take this chance. After swimming he told Lil he wanted to talk to Mira alone.

"What can I do for you, Gajeel?"

"If I were to book a trip to the biggest library in Fiore, where would I be going?"

Mirajane smiled her knowing smile. Damn the demon woman. "You wouldn't have to go too far. Our library is the largest in the nation. Only Sabertooth's rivals ours. Mostly because it is where Levy puts the books that she translates." Well that ruined those plans. "If you are looking for a trip, there is a hot spring that Levy loves. She goes only once a year after saving all year for it."

"Get me three-" Jet and Droy made a ruckus behind him. They were cheering Levy on as she worked on the book. When he saw his Shrimp was okay, Gajeel glared at Droy who was looking his way. Droy said something to Jet and the noise stopped. He groaned turning back to Mira. "Fuck, five tickets for it. If I don't take those two numb skulls they will whine until she breaks the bank to have them come."

"Okay then. Fairy Tail has a building to themselves there. I will set it up for you. It will be in a month." Gajeel nodded. It wouldn't be as romantic as he wanted it to be but at least she would be happy.

That was when Juvia sat next to him. "How is it going, Gajeel?"

"About what you would expect." The rain woman, had never been that much of a friend until they both joined Fairy Tail. Now they were there for each other. Juvia always seemed to know when Gajeel was brooding over his feeling for Levy. She said that Gray took her rain away, and that was the closest Gajeel could find to described how Levy made him feel.

"That well huh?"

"She told me she loves me." Juvia smiled a sad smile. "I can't do anything about it. I could be her child right now. I want to be myself. I want to be the grown up to hold Levy."

"I trust Levy will fix this."

"I hope so. I don't know how much more of this I can handle." She gave his hand a squeeze. "After this is all over Juvia I need to know if you will back me when I propose."

"Juvia time to go." Gray called.

"Back you? You don't need backing. Half the guild has been waiting for one of you to snap and make that happen." Mira made a noise. "I will be back in a few days. You know where to find me if you need me." Off she went back in her brain dead mode. He hated that mode. Juvia is S-class material if she just got serious. She and Gray were probably the second most powerful couple in Fairy Tail. Mira and Laxus being number one.

Where would Gajeel put Levy and himself on the list? Lower than Gray and Juvia but higher than Natsu and Lucy. Was there a way that her solid script and his dragon magic could unison raid? "Gajeel?" Gods he loved her voice. Turning to her he saw that Asuka looked embarrassed at Levy's feet. "Go ahead sweetie."

"Gajeel-kun, would you like to come to story time with Levy-san?" The girl asked nervously. Confused by the request Gajeel looked to Levy. She just nodded. "All the Exceeds are going to be there."

"I guess so, kid." Asuka ran off to her parents. Levy held her hand out to him but he just jumped off the stool. "How often does Lil go to nap time?"

"Everyday we are home. Some times I read to him while we are missions." She nodded to the Exceeds on the table of her books.

"You need a child of your own, Levy. Someone you could read to everyday." Levy made a noise of agreement. Asuka pulled the boy to the nap room. Basicly one of the recovery rooms converted to a daycare. Whomever's idea this was was filled with high hopes. Eight horrible constructed cots that bowed when Asuka lay down. Levy sat in a chair, she had brought it from her apartment. Green felt, large enough that Gajeel could sit in it. The one time that he sat in it she joined him. The next time he went into her apartment it was gone.

Happy argued with Lily over who got to pick the book today. Asuka took the lead putting her hands on her hips. Scolding them that they had a guest so he should pick. Gajeel stood next to Levy. "I have never seen her mother do that." Gajeel pointed out.

"Takes a village."

"Or you and a very strong father." That was the second time that he mentioned her as a mother. He wondered if she was getting the hints. Gajeel strode over to the poorly constructed bookshelf. Once this was all over he was building the nursery cots, and more bookshelves. Maybe even tables for crafts.

Seeing it was organized as Levy liked, he was able to quickly find the one he liked. Taking it over to Levy, he pulled her down. "Our story." Levy turned the book over to see the title. Blushing three shades of red. Beauty and the beast. As he walked back to Lily, he smelt a tear fall. The Exceed sighed at Gajeel's overly proud grin.

"Once upon a time..." Levy started. Not ten pages in all of her audience was asleep. Gajeel cuddled up with Lily. Lucky for the Exceed, Gajeel was used to sleeping with the cat. Happy was not so lucky. Asuka had him in a head lock.

Nothing changed for two days. Levy and Lily fell into a routine with little Gajeel which left no time for translation except at night. The days followed, they were at the guild, play dates with Asuka and nap times with the Exceeds. It was all getting too easy just to stay as they were. It would take a full fort night to translate the chapter at this rate. Levy would not accept that so every chance she got she pulled out the book. Jet and Droy would block the path of anyone that came to her.

Mira noticed she wasn't eating unless Gajeel was eating. Gajeel also noticed so he would order food with the thought that she snack on what he eating. It worked until she noticed that he was there. Then Levy would close the book. Gajeel hated that he was being selfish but she was his for this time. Lucy wasn't even taking her away. Levy had Lucy read a few pages, sending the blonde into tears for her friend. Levy never let Lily or himself read the pages. What was on it?


	3. Chapter 3

SUDDEN THOUGHTS

CHAPTER THREE

Five days and she had only gotten five pages into the spell. The first ten were a letter so someone Metalicana called short beloved one. Knowing it was written by Metalicana didn't help. The only reference she had was Gajeel and the only time she had to work on it was when he was sleeping. It was true that she was starting to get the way the dragon spoke but the problem was his horrible penmanship. This was more of a study on dragon handwriting than a punishment or lesson for Gajeel.

"Oh my god Levy, you have to come now!" Her best friend said very excited. Levy cover her mouth looking back to see the kids were asleep. No one stirred. She sighed pushing Lucy out the door. "You have to come see."

Five minutes. All she wanted five minutes to think about everything. The note to Gajeel had been followed by a letter for instructions to the "short beloved one". This was to be a lesson to Gajeel and his mate. If they could handle the lesson they would be strong enough to bare a child together. It was true it was trying by Levy knew no matter what happened Gajeel was her future.

Before setting foot on the main floor Levy could feel the magic. Some had pulled out Metalicana's book. "Shit, shit no." Levy expected to see Natsu as a child. Why now? Natsu was curious and careless enough. The only one not effected was Wendy. Probably because she was born a long time after the book was written.

"Natsu what did you do?!" Levy yelled. Natsu was five. Sting and Rogue even smaller, perhaps two. Eric, somewhere in between. Looking over to Mira she held an infant. Cooing and smiling at it. The blonde tuff of hair gave away who it was.

"The fuck Flame Brain?" Gajeel was at her hip. The two boys launched themselves at each other.

"Gajeel, don't start please." Levy sighed. Gajeel sighed leaving the fight so the sake of his love. "Why didn't effect, Wendy?"

"Wendy's a girl." Natsu said. "The spell says it only works on male slayers." Levy walked towards the book and the army of children slayers. Gajeel refused to move from her path. What else could happen because of this book? He just got Levy to himself. What if she read something she wasn't supposed to?

She fell to her knees in front of him. Eyes filled with concern. "Don't read that book, Shrimp." Looking at all the women flocked around the young slayers Gajeel realized it was the all the mates. "Why did you call the First Mates' Club?"

"You two really do think a like." Mira said trying to hush a crying Laxus. "Gajeel, Levy didn't call them. I did. She needed more help so she could get back to the book. I thought we could take turns looking after you."

"No, I want my Levy." She frowned. "Not bunny girl. Not you demon. Not even my sister in law, Minerva. I only want Levy to look after me." Even Gajeel was amazed at how much of a child he was sounding. "We're not mated but she is the only one I trust."

"Okay, how about this. You and Lily start home. Levy will get her things and meet you there once we make a plan for the rest of the boys." Minerva suggested.

Gajeel stood still hands on his hips. "Where she, goes I go." Levy sighed. "What if something is in there that effects you next?"

"Nothing in there effects girls, Metal head." Before they started Levy wrote jail in the air. Suddenly both slayers were in different metal cages.

"Levy?" The woman in question glared at her slayer. "What the hell?"

"Two minute time out for fighting." Levy turned back to Mira. "I'm dropping from the club." That was when everyone felt the water. It was raining indoors? All of team Gear Head turned to Juvia crying over in corner. "Juvia?"

"Levy, thinks we have another problem." Juvia said holding a water lock with a peanut sized fetus inside. "This is Gray-sama." Gray had reverted back to pre-birth. "He is so little." Gajeel turned to his friend. The love of her life could die. All because of that stupid book.

"But he is not a dragon slayer." Lucy gasped.

"No, he is a demon slayer. The magic seems to work on slayers." Levy said examining the globe.

"I don't know what to do." Juvia looked to her best friend. "He is so little. Gajeel, he could die. I don't know how to help him."

"Levy." The script mage dropped the spell so that Gajeel could comfort his distraught friend. This was getting to be too much. How was Levy going to fix this? Levy felt tight. Gray could die if she didn't figure this out. Death has only been a real outcome once. For that she didn't sleep for nearly a week. Gajeel felt the tension in his Shrimp. Her arms held tight against her side. Head down, hands in fists, and the overwhelming feeling like she was going to turn to stone or break.

"Levy, relax. We mates are all in this together." Minerva said. "We will take our slayers home or to the closest hotel. When you have the translation we can meet you back here." Levy nodded.

Levy turned back to Juvia whom now had Bisca and Alzack with her. Gajeel stood up running to Levy's hip. "My Shrimp, could be that small." He said to Lily. Levy fell to her knees to hold her slayer for comfort.

"Listen to me, Gajeel. Nothing will harm me. I don't read anything I read out loud. The spell has to be spoken. That is how your father wrote it. I'm as safe as I can make it."

"What if-" Gajeel was showing more comfort in talking to her about his fears.

"We are mages. The unknown is what drives us." She tried to smile as her mind raced. He had seen that look once. When they were going to attack Avatar. This was not the time to have her stress out. He needed to get her to relax.

"I won't be able to survive if you die." She smiled.

"I won't die. I have my mighty Iron Dragon Slayer to protect me." She kissed his forehead. "Can we just go home now? I have a lot more people counting on me."

Lily took Gajeel into the bath, when they got home. Levy made supper. Gajeel felt the water on his tender skin and screamed. When Levy popped her frantic head in the bath a nude little Gajeel berated Lily for making the water too hot. "Tag out."

"Jellal was never this loud." Levy nodded. "You are the goddess of patience." She smiled to Lily. As soon as the Exceed was gone brown eyes glared at Gajeel. He knew better than to provoke that look from her.

"You are not the only one annoyed by this situation, Gajeel. Lily doesn't know what to do with you. He is used to being annoyed by your grown up self. He doesn't know how to deal with baby you." Gajeel glared back at his Shrimp. She just sighed falling to her knees. "You can't be spoiled now, Gajeel. You will break me. All the other slayers are counting on me, too. I can't be all yours now."

"Break you?"

"Yes Gajeel." His mind snapped to the day they met. "Some how I feel like this is my fault. If you act like the child you look, not even Lil and I'll be able to stand you." She spoke so softly, he had to take her seriously. "I need you to be the grown up, I know is still in there. Please for my sake." Gajeel brushed her tears away.

"Sorry, Levy. I will attempt to be easier on you." To his surprise she burst out laughing. "What?"

"You are naked. I can't take you seriously. " Gajeel looked down suddenly embarrassed. "The tub should be cooler. Do you want me to bath with you?"

"Not like I can do anything if you did." Levy blushed. "Go help Lil. I'll be fine." Levy kissed his forehead. "Can you make me clothes?" She cast her magic and mini versions of his grown up clothes filled the room. "Thank you Levy."

"Call if you need me." She left the room. Once outside she gave Lily a thumbs up. The Exceed sighed.

After supper Levy moved to Gejeel's office. During his time with the council he built himself a library of law books and a desk to work at while he was home. Levy now used it to work on the translation. He could only watch her from the side lines. Levy made faces, spoke to herself. The Rune knights that didn't know her, as well as he did, thought she was crazy. Crazy, yes, but not the way they all thought she was. Levy finally sat back in her chair. Sighing. Over the last year that was how she stopped to think when she got frustrated. Gajeel took this moment to get her a beer from the fridge and climb on her lap to see her progress.

"Excellent for a woman learning from books." Gajeel flipped though. "Do you plan on doing the spell in common or in Draconic?"

"Common. Your father's instructions for me were unclear. I have not seen any thing stating I have to speak the language. Besides you read your part in common." Gajeel nodded. "You know it well enough why am I doing this?"

"Cuz you feel guilty I felt the need to help?"

"Maybe." She sighed. "With Gray's life on the line I kinda need to hurry."

"Understandable. Gray is one of your oldest friends." He frown at a line. Looking back at the book he noticed she got an accent wrong. "This line is wrong." Levy groaned. "This is lokaal gein." She tried repeating it. Gajeel made her repeat it until she pronounced well enough. "It mean loved one, not sacred one." Levy blushed. "This should read, 'by the beloved shrimp." He reread that. Seriously his father knew he would fall in love with Levy?

"Gajeel, did your father write a naughty book? Like Erza has?" She teased but he didn't take the bait. He was sudden exhausted. "Okay little man time for bed."

"I think you're right." He just sat back in her arms. "When I was this age the first time Dad used to sing softly the songs of dragons."

"Guess maybe tomorrow I will look for some. But thought how about I sing you the one my mom used to sing to me?" Gajeel nodded. As Levy sang songs of lost loves and heroes, he felt his eyes get heavier. What was she not good at?

He felt light as air on the edge of sleep. When he landed in a cloud he heard an angel. "Some day I would really like a little one to sit on my lap. Someone we can sing to."

Morning came to ache bones. His clothes seemed tighter too. On the edge of the bed a blue mop of hair still holding a pen almost fell to the floor due to the angle she was still in the chair over the bed. Her cheeks bore streaks. Why had Levy been crying?

Whatever she did last night worked. He was older. Thinner and more awkward then Romeo but just a few years older than him by how long Gejeel's legs were. The child's clothes falling apart as he moved off the far side of the bed.

"I'll put her in the spare room." Lily said.

"No. Just let me lay her down here." Careful not to disturb her sleep he laid her on his pillow. "How long was she up working?"

"I found her in here at five. She said you were having a nightmare and that you stopped crying when she was next to you." Nightmare? The same one he had every night he shared a room with her. The night she proved more than a victim. The night he tried to pull her soul from her body. Only to find it was as hard as steel.

"So since dawn. Okay, let's head to the guild. We need to get out of town for a few days. It should give her time to rest. She will need it for the next little while."

"Why is that?" Gajeel took one last look at her sleeping form. He could feel the urges come over him. He would not use her. Not like when he was a teenager. He needed to love her as a man, ready to make a commitment.

"As a teenager I was horny. Since she is my chosen mate being at this age is not going to help us."

"It might. You haven't even told her you have feelings." The Exceed scowled.

"She's smart. Levy figured it out during the ball at the Grand magic Games. She asked to mind my business." Brushing away the hair from her face. "I could hear her screaming my name though the city during the fight with Rogue. I know she has feelings for me. I just can't deal with them responsibly when all I want to do is fuck her brains out."

"That is very mature." The Exceed crossed his arms over his chest.

"She rubbed off on me over this last year." Off they went.

Levy woke up to silence. For Gajeel and Lily that was unheard of. To her left was a note on Gejeel's pillow. Written in Exceed script Lily had told her that they were off to fight some hormones. She had to smile at that. The spell had worked. It had taken all her energy but she got it to work. Only three more passages.

First off to Fairy Hills. Gray could use some years. Even if he matched Natsu in age she could breath easier. Juvia had taken the man to the bath. Bisca had told her to keep Gray warm. As her body was not fit to hold him she spent most of her time in the communal bathroom.

The moment Juvia saw Levy she was going to cry. "Just wait." Levy smiled. Casting the counter spell they watched his body stretch. The small unborn peanut to a five year old child. Juvia hugged Levy so tight the mage couldn't breath. "Gajeel picked a great mate." Juvia said.

"Juvia?" The small boy blushed. "What happened? Why am I naked? Why are you?"

"I missed your voice, Gray." He reached for her. That was cue for Levy to leave. It worked. Great. Two down five more slayers to go. Levy smiled at herself. If the Dragon was right this was going to bring more problems.


	4. Chapter 4

SUDDEN THOUGHTS

CHAPTER FOUR

Three days living in his house, Levy realized she had not eaten. She had not see the other mates or slayers, other than Wendy in days. As Levy translated she would give it to Wendy to cast it at the guild. When Wendy came she and Mest would bring pizza. Nothing was better than Antonio's pizza. The first day they were gone was the first day that Levy realized their place needed to be cleaned. When she needed a break she worked on cleaning. The third, she went shopping. Mostly because there was no human food. Woman could not live off kiwis or pizza alone. Off she went to go get groceries for when her boys got back.

The pages had gotten easier to work with after she had food. The contents made her worry. She was seeing a trend after each spell. A personal note to the short beloved one. Last entry was about the spell. This time it was talking about it the spells is not broken. He would be locked at that age. He would be forever fifteen. More disturbing was this note had a date on it.

Gajeel had said he remembered when his father wrote the book. The date on the page was almost seventy years ago. Gajeel's appearance made him look half that. It proved that the first gen slayers aged slower. If that was the case Levy knew she would die centuries before Gajeel did. Remembering how that nearly killed her father could she put Gajeel through that? Would he care? Did he care now?

She was not blind to the changes she had help bring out in him. Would the pain of losing his three closes friends drive revert him back to his Phantom Lord days? The idea of leaving him alone was even more frightening than staying with him while being an old woman and he look thirty still. Gajeel would have to watch her, Juvia and Lily waste away to nothing.

That was what she was thinking about on the third day. On the way back with her loot. Levy planned make them the biggest, best welcome home supper ever. At the same time she was concern about Gajeel. How would he react loosing Lily? Would he react at all for loosing Levy to death?

Without realizing it Gajeel blocked her path. He took the bags from her. To the ground they went. As he picked her up. "Damn you are fine." He said kissing her. It was not the kiss of an awkward teen. This was the kiss if a man that knew what he wanted. His hormones were driving him to revealing how he felt or was he just needing to be laid?

"Gajeel?"

"I left so I could clear my mind. You haunted it anyway." Inspite of herself Levy smiled. "When I am bigger I will show you what the dreams were about." She blushed at his voice become deeper. All of her dreams would come true. What about their nightmares?

"I have the next part of the spell done." He smiled placing his hand on her ass. Levy pulled the pages from her bag. As she read them Gajeel climbed the stairs to the bedroom designed for her. Lil' was on the first floor. Gajeel had moved his next to his office, while she had been out. On the third floor was a room filled with every dragon book he could find on walls lined with bookshelves. In the center of the room a canopy princess bed made of steel. Polished so it sparkled like she did with deep blues and browns bedding.

"So mate and be happy." To be honest he wasn't even listening to it. He felt his body fill out when Levy had to readjust the way she was in his arms.

"That is exactly what I want to do." Levy's jaw dropped. "Why so surprised?"

"I'm so small-" He kissed her to silence the negative thoughts.

"There is no one else in the world I want to be with more than my short Levy." He whispered into her lips. "Right now I want my short beloved Shrimp."

"What about Lil?" Gajeel checked there was no movement downstairs. "Why me?"

"Your my other half. Everything I love about you is everything I lack." He said love. "Yes, Shrimp I love you. I want to make mad love to you before making us dragon bound. Would you like that?" Levy pushed away from him. He let her fall to the ground. Looking around the room she saw he had made a cave for her. Just as the book described. He was doing all the steps of mating courtship.

Track the mates scent. Gajeel did it every time she was out of sight. Draw blood. He had done that while in Phantom Lord. Protect the mate's life. She looked back at him. There were more times than she could count. Build a cave for the mate and it was so gorgeous. Mate the mate. During the intercourse mark each other.

Dragons mate for life. Even if her life was shorter than his could she love him the way she wanted? "Levy?" Her eyes watering. As much as she wanted this, Levy had to leave him for his own good before they did something they couldn't change.

"Please Gajeel-" He thought she was saying yes. Using his speed he captured her, kissing her. She started pushing as him while crying. "As much as I want to I can't, Gajeel. I can't cause you that kind of pain." She ran from the room. "I do love you though."

He read the words in the letter to the beloved one. If she didn't finish the translation he would stay twenty five. He found her in his office. "I could stay with you this age. We could grow old together."

"No, you can't." She pulled away putting the chair between them.

"Why not shrimp?" Looking back at him, he saw the tears in her eyes. "Levy?"

"You are a dragon slayer. You will age slowly. I will be a bitter old woman of 98 and you will look like when we met. That is why I am enjoying having you around while I can. When the spell is fully reverse I am leaving." Gajeel stood shocked as she went back to her books to translate the next part.

"What if I am okay with you growing old?"

"I'm not." Her voice cracked. Gajeel fell to his knees next to her. To have a full life, kids and adventures only to leave him alone when her time was done.

"You said you wanted a miniature me to stay on your lap. I took that as you want to be with me as my mate. It would be our son on your lap." Levy's eyes closed. Water rolled down her face. "What has changed?"

"I have. This book showed me all I didn't realize. There is one more sections here. You are currently 75 years old. At minimum you are robbing the cradle. When I am that age I will be grey, wrinkled. I will look like your mother not your mate."

"Levy-"

"You are old enough to take care of yourself now. I will do the rest of the translations at home. I will have it done for the guild tomorrow." Gajeel grabbed her wrist. He couldn't let her leave. Having Levy in his daily life had given him more pleasure than he ever thought he deserved. Now she was taking that away.

"No."

"Gajeel-"

"You are not leaving."

"I can't stay anymore." Why was he making this so hard for her? He never showed affection before this why the 180 turn?

"I still need you. I probably will my whole life."

"Except we can't. You won't have me your whole life." She pulled herself away. Gajeel just watched her pack her bag. Before she left she kissed his cheek. "I will see you tomorrow." What was he going to do? Levy, his light, his heart was leaving him because of a mistake he made. Had he not read that book she wouldn't have figured out what he already knew.

"Gajeel?" He hadn't even noticed his best friend was even enter the room.

"I don't think I can fix this Lil. She has a point and it is causing her pain." Lily shifted forms and embraced his friend. "My father saw this coming. He told her what she didn't know. I have waited for her my whole life. Now she is gone."

Gajeel stared at her bed from the floor as the moon rose. The silver light reflected off the frame. He imagined she would run her hand down the rails. The gentle way she had touched it that afternoon as if it would shatter from her touch. Then she would move to the bookshelves. Tilting down the ones that she was going to read next. Just like he had seen at her apartment.

"Thank you for making this for me. I love this room, Gajeel." The ghostly version said. She knelt down between his legs. The short black nighty brushing against his skin. "This is the last thing I am going to do as a Fairy Tail member."

"Why are you back? You were so set on breaking my heart."

"I'm here to take payment from you for the work I was doing." He smiled. Dresses in a silk nighty and her hair unbound she was more likely here as part of his sexual fantasies. She kissed him. This Levy was real. His Shrimp was soft, gentle as well as spilling pheromones all over the room. No other woman could take her place. Gajeel doubted another other woman would set foot in this room ever again. "Let me make love to you, lokaata gein."

"Yes Gajeel." Nothing was music to his ears like that. She stood up while he got to his knees. He kissed her belly through the silk. Up she went as he stood. Squealing in delight as her slayer gihied.

"I have waited years to make love to you, Levy."

"You shouldn't of. The only reason I wore that dress at the Grand Magic Games was so that you would force me to change." He groaned. "The night before I went on the mission to Avatar I stayed up all night and you threatened to take me to bed. I wanted you to make love to me before I might not come back."

"Now I am going to." She was everything he wanted. Then hearing her moan in pleasure Gajeel lost it. Slowly he slid home only to find her ready. No barrier to cause her pain. Over and over he thrust. Over and over Levy's walls gripped him beyond pleasure. During her last climb Levy bit into his shoulder. Gajeel began to thrust harder into her. "That's right Levy harder." She broke skin as she cried out in pleasure. "Just a little more my love." As she peaked for the last time he bit down on her shoulder sealing their bond.


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE

In the morning Levy was not in the bed. Gajeel took a deep full breath expecting to smell her and got nothing. No soft hit of the lilies she loved on her pillow though the dent still remained. No smell of her iron blood despite the evidence of where she had laid. Only that fake vanilla smell that Lucy gave the room he could smell the bacon and smelting iron. Pantherlily was alone. Stopping briefly in his room and office there was no sign of her. Just the lingering offensive vanilla. Every second getting more and more agitated that she would leave after they were mated. The longer he stayed in this house with the smell of Lucy the more he wanted to beat the crap out of someone.

Gajeel sat at the table where Lil pointed. The key he gave her for the house. On the folded paper his name in her solid script hand written lettering. Her magic even shone silver now. Opening it he saw the water marks as she forced herself to write the letter.

"Thank you for the greatest night of my life. I will love you as long as I live but I can't give you the pain of having me for fifty years just to lose me to something you have no control over. Before noon please come to the guild. If you can not our Wendy will cast the spell. Love Levy Redfox." Anger filled his every cell. Not at her. At himself. He had forgotten how sensitive she was. His Levy had become so strong yet she still held the emotions of he was just starting to figure out.

The men went to the guild. Levy sat on the stage. Black dress falling to her ankles book open on her lap. Bite mark on her shoulder, bandaged. "Don't do it, Shrimp." As he approached her she cast the spell. Gajeel felt himself get bulkier. "You don't have to do this." She cast the next one. "Levy stop!" All the while crying. She cast the final one making Gejeel's heart crash to the floor. He was back to sixty five years old. This is what she feared. That she would age and he would not.

"Now you are back to normal." She whispered. Levy hopped off the stage, picked up her bag and started for the door. "I'll miss you, Lil. Take good care of our oaf." She passed Lil not even trying to hide her sorrow. Gajeel turned to follow. Her left shoulder was blank. Her white guild mark was gone. On her right shoulder a black Sabertooth mark. Just past her Rogue and his cat stood at the door.

"Sabertooth!" The room gasped moving back from the slayer. "You are leaving me for Rogue?"

"No, I am leaving for me. Rogue just happened to find me when he was looking for Frosch. They came in case you wouldn't let me leave." Damn right he was going to try to stop her. Ryos was practically his brother. She would be safe but not as safe as she would with Gajeel.

"Of course, I won't let you leave. Levy, you are my mate." He tore the bandage off her shoulder. "That mark proves we are bound." The green exceed in the pink frog costume waddled up to Levy. She bent to pick him up. "I won't let you go with Ryos."

"I was going to go to Lamnia. Lyon was willing to take me but Frosch convinced me to come." She smiled through her tears. "Did you know their library rivals Fairy Tail." Gajeel was on her then. Lips locked on her's. She didn't want to leave. He couldn't live with her gone.

"I love you, please don't leave me."

"Rogue and Frosch will take good care of me." Her movements were stiffer. "Sorry Gajeel." She ran out the door. All was silent as the door closed behind her.

"Gajeel?" Juvia said moving towards her friend.

"Laxus meet me in the yard." Gajeel said leaving the back way. She was really gone. He drove her away from her home. People should be furious with him for that. Gajeel was met with shock. Except for the slayers and their mates. Gray held Juvia back from Gajeel. Mira stopped Natsu from doing anything. The boy wouldn't understand.

"Laxus just don't kill him." There lightning dragon slayer pulled his demoness in his arms. "Later, Laxus. Just give him his punishment. He thinks this was his fault." Laxus still kissed his mate before he and Pantherlily went out to the yard.

"What the hell just happened?" Natsu asked Lucy who was crying with Wendy, Romeo holding both of them. Juvia kissed Gray's cheek before running after Gajeel. "Somebody tell me why Levy left." Lisanna pulled Natsu's scarf down.

"Levy-san left because she realized that their love would never die so Gajeel would live forever alone after she did." Saying it out loud made Gajeel stumble. Juvia held him standing.

"I don't get it." Natsu lashed around.

"Natsu, you are going to live longer than Lucy will." Natsu looked to his partner. "You age slower than she does so when you are fifty Lucy will die of old age. You will outlive her by decades." Lucy turned from the kids to smile through her tears. The mere thought of not having Lucy by his side had never occurred to him.

"Romeo will die before Wendy?" Natsu asked. Romeo smiled down at the sky dragon slayer.

"But I will have a beautiful wife the whole time." Romeo kissed Wendy's hand. "All seven of you will outlive your mates. Some of us are fine if we can have that adventure but for Levy it is too painful. Just the thought of leaving him alone in the world hurts her so she left us all."

"They're finally mated!" Natsu's fist went through the table.

"She has loved him for a long time. Now she has to force herself to get over him." Lucy said. "I honestly don't know how I feel about this. Mira has come to terms with it."

"Lucy, I'm calling a meeting." Mira said.

"Coming." Romeo kissed Wendy's hair. "Come on Romeo."

Outside Gajeel destroyed yet another target. Laxus and Lil watched at the side lines. "For being so smart it took her a long time to realize she would leave you alone one day." Rain gently started to pour over the city.

Lily sighed. "Their relationship is really slow. This book has just brought to light their future."

"She left me for Rogue. She will have the same issues with Rogue." Scales began to form over his hands. Talons on his nails. Now was not the time to lose himself to his inner dragon.

"Rogue has Minerva. He is just being the good little brother by taking your mate in." Laxus laid his coat over the rail of the fence. "I doubt he or Sting would disrespect the mark." Laxus rolled up his sleeves. "Fists or magic?"

"Fists." Lily watched as his friend take hit for hit from Laxus, barely even marking the guild master's grandson. One final upper cut and Gajeel was down. Juvia ran to him. Rain pouring all-round them. Gajeel didn't even hide his tears from her. "She made my rain go away." Juvia simply nodded holding her oldest friend. Together they cried until Gajeel saw Gray with an umbrella. "He is here for you."

"You know where to find me if you need me." She stood up, walking the Gray the rain got heavy. Through it Gajeel could hear Juvia gasp. Laying back down. At least one of them would be happy. Though it would appear that he was not redeemed enough to be.

"What are you going to do now?" Laxus held a hand to the iron dragon slayer.

"Now Gramps gets to beat me. If I am lucky he will kill me." The three men watched him stumble back into the guild.

"What do we do now? The girls are going to want to get her back." Gray said. "Despite how he treated her she still loves him."

"Mira was forming a plan the second Levy asked to leave the guild. My woman will fix this or die trying." Laxus rubbed his shoulder. "Lacrima Sting. Find out what he knows before Erza gets back. Our Guild Master will not like hearing Levy left us."

In the basement of the guild Makarov kept his secret stash of alcohol. Gajeel entered the room. "If you are all grown up she is gone." Fear for what was to come froze the slayer. Makarov did say that he would crush the man if Gajeel ever hurt his family. Instead the old man passed him a mug. "Enough of this and you will forget your own name."

"Thanks Gramps." Gajeel collapsed on a crate next to the ex-master.

"You going after her?" Makarov downed his mug.

"Failed both times. Plus she is hiding her smell. I think I will give her a few days then I will go see her. Not before hand."

"She has really matured you." Gajeel nodded. "You and she mated?"

"Yep and then she left me to join Sabertooth." Makarov filled Gajeel's cup. "Has always taken too much to heart. Levy didn't even let me explain."

"In for a penny, that one." Makarov sighed. "Lucy is the heart. Erza is the courage. Mira's maturity and Levy was the brains of the guild. The rest of us are the cells that make this guild work. We came through a lot of things. This we will just weather through. This has always been her home."

"I hope so, Gramps."

When Mira came down to them Cana had joined the men. All three three sheets to the wind. Freed came down to take Cana home while Laxus took his Grandfather home. Mira took Gajeel's hand before he got another drink. "Don't stop me, demon." He took the mug back from her.

"You know this won't help." She sighed. Once she got Levy back was he going to be sober enough to appreciate it?

"No. Dragons can consume more than most normal people, but it feels damn good." Gajeel down another cup of the strong stuff. "Dragon's fire." Gramps called it. "Cana and Bacchuss are just crazy. Have you tried this. It is awesome. I need to get some for at home."

"Levy will come back."

"Not fast enough."


	6. Chapter 6

SUDDEN THOUGHTS

CHAPTER SIX

Days went by. Then weeks. Two months in Lily said they had no money left. Gajeel had drank all their savings away. What else could he do. Levy was pregnant but didn't want him in her life. All he could do was get Rouge and Sting to pass on baby gifts and money so that she would be okay. That was when they started taking S-class missions. One after another until Erza had to give them status. From S-class to dark guild captures for the council. Gajeel lead the team of ten mages into the mouth of the beast and then got them home. No one with more than a scrap. That was when the dark guilds decided to fight back. Eighteen months, to the day Levy left her home, Team Redfox were finally going in for the final take down.

"This mission is a little different." Makarov said. "The day Hibiki protected is here. The Dark Guilds have formed the Dark Union." Ren patted his guild mate on the back. Gajeel smiled. Finally it was time to get some real work done. "The recon team have discovered their numbers are more than we thought they would be. So I'm calling in back up."

"Fuck me. He called them." Gray groaned. Juvia turned to Gajeel as if she was going to say something then saw his scowl. Gajeel smelled the lilies, old book and lacrima. Like Laxus gave off the smell. Levy wasn't hiding from him. His heart raced. His mind made plans. All the while Lily sat on his lap.

"Gramps you should have told him first." Rogue was first through the door with Minerva. Sting and Yukino. Kagura then Levy. Hair longer. Her waves looked even softer than a year ago. Her eyes hid from his. Her bite mark had faded to a faint pink mark. His Shrimp was no where to be see otherwise. Black leather dress split in the front to her pierced belly button. Steel dragon hanging from it. Denim cargo pants covering her legs to the combat boots. On her other shoulder a matching sword wound to his. Every ounce told Gajeel to leave before he beat the shit out of the other Dragon Slayers in the room for letting her be hurt. Lily even hopped on to the table as he stood.

"Sit down." Makarov hissed. "She and her team are the recon team." Makarov said. "It was only right that we ask them to help. Erza was the one that told me what they were doing." Levy motioned for her team to sit. Her team sitting across from his leaving her an open spot within arms reach of Gajeel. "When you are ready, Levy." The former guild master prompted.

Out of a pocket came a pile of flat lacrima which Levy laid on the table. Each one a different color. When she hit a red square a screen appeared over the table. "Warren compiled the last of this information this morning for us." She enlarged the area of Fiore. "The red dots are current positions of pockets of Dark Guilds we have missed. Tomorrow's infiltration should get us the information we need on how they are communicating with the other pockets."

"Who is doing that?" Gray asked.

"I'm-"

"Like hell you are!" A wave of her hand and metal bolted on to Gajeel's face. They glared at each other until Levy pulled away. A little victory for him. However she left the plate on his mouth. Smirking she turned back to the teams.

Rogue was the only one not surprised by the outburst. "Maybe you should let Gajeel go." Levy sighed. "Fine." Now two of her three slayers were annoyed with her. This wasn't going to end well.

"As I was saying. I'm going into this pocket. Gray, I want you to take this large cluster down here." He saluted. Juvia knew what her role was. "Rogue, you are on this cluster." Each man was given a flat lacrima matching their code name. "I trust you both know your code names. Mine is Scribe." Levy held up a lacrima with a light pen on the back. Gray and Juvia looked over their new tool. "Warren is Oracle. They are programmed into the lacrima."

"Got it." Minerva wrote down things in her note book. "If given a chance are we sabotaging this time?"

"Not until we get out hand on one of their communication devices. Once one of us does call in to Warren. He'll let the other teams know." Both pairs nodded. Levy passed over to an other map sneaking a glance at an annoyed Gajeel. This was not going according to plan.

"Minerva and Juvia are their handlers. Who is yours?" Lily asked ignoring the his partner struggling with the metal.

"If you are willing, Lily, I would like you. Jellal normally is but I promised Erza not this time." She smiled. "It will just like old times." It had been two years since the last time they had partnered up. Maybe she had gotten better at it.

"Of course Levs. It would be my honor." Levy passed him a lacrima. "We can talk about my role after the briefing."

"What are the rest of us doing?" Jellal asked. Erza entered then. He held his hand out to her. She joined the briefing. They had come close as of late. Erza was pregnant and didn't want to have him far away when she gave birth any day now. They never got to know their parents well so she wanted to have their daughter know them every second. After leaving Levy understood. Mak was always going to be missing one parent.

"If Mr Redfox is finished thrashing about I will tell you." Gajeel just glared at her. "In three days this town here," Levy pointed to the map to a vacant town. She talked more to him than the teams. "There is going to be a meeting of all the Dark guild masters." He looked to the map. He wouldn't want her there. Guild masters on the side of light are powerful but they had limits due to their good natures. Those on the dark side had no issues using anything against an opponent. "They are voting on the master of the merged guild. One of our three groups are going to seize one of the communication devices. Hibiki'll jam the device. The rest of you will get in there, capture as many as you can and get out. I am trusting you with the arrests Gajeel."

"We have three days to get their communication devices." Minerva said. Looking at Rogue she smiled. "Two days."

"Got that Juvia? We need to beat them to the punch." The Fullbusters loved a good challenge. Gajeel too. It confused his feelings when it came from Levy. He was the alpha male, yet she battled for control. This was sexy and frustrating.

"Gajeel, can I trusting you to get this done?" He glared even harder at his mate. Why was she trying to take his dominance away? She slide one to him. "Your code name is Mr. Happy." The old master motioned for Levy to release him. With a sigh she did just that. "Gajeel will brief you on your half of the mission tomorrow. By then we will be able to see who is successful. A bonus for the team that wins." Rogue looked to Gray.

"No demon slayer is going to beat a mighty dragon." Minerva stifled a laugh. Gray had not even met the guild he was joining. Rogue infiltrated his guild the previous year. He was well liked or feared. Once in, he brought Levy in as his little slayer cousin.

"At least demons can keep a cool head, dragon." It was Juvia that came to Gray's defense. The room broke in laughter. Levy loved that feeling. Her heart beat with the hum. Almost two years since she felt home like this. She missed this. Not even in her own dark guild was it like this.

"Dismissed." Makarov bellowed. Levy shot off her screen sliding it to Hibiki to coordinate. "When you are ready." Levy stiffened.

She knew that he was going to object. She knew Gajeel would hate her. Levy knew in the morning she would be deaf. Dispelling the word Levy braced herself. Everyone left the room except Levy, Gajeel and Lily. Strangely he was calm. Gajeel stood up. Not looking at her. "You can have Lily. I would rather you take Rogue with you."

"Gajeel, Lily is able to fly. If I need to get out in a hurry." Levy smiled. "He will be able to keep me from getting hurt. I have done the foot work for joining this guild. Lil and I should have no issues. They think that I am on a high jewel robbery. To them I'm the dragon slayer and that Lily is my Exceed partner. We will be able to get in and out within a day." Shit what had she done to herself? She was a second generation slayer. Gajeel clenched his fists on the table. This stopped his heart.

"Of course." Lily said without paying attention. Gajeel never looked so defeated. Not since she left what could he sense around her? "They think we are Carla and Wendy?"

"This group has only heard there is a blue haired Dragon Slayer with an Exceed. So I monopolized it. I am the Knowledge Dragon Slayer." Lily nodded. That made sense for her. That was when the realization hit him. Lily was now on the same page as the larger slayer. None of their conversations had lead to this information.

"Lil, I trust you to keep her alive." With that Gajeel headed to the door. "Though with her new magics I don't think that she will need much help."

Levy blinked looking down at the Exceed. Figured Gajeel would know. "You should be yelling at me." Gajeel stopped at the door. "I've been lying to you. I have been endangering myself for months. I got Laxus to take me to the same guy who did that to him. It could have killed me." For good reasons. Protecting their teams and families. Gajeel would have forced her to stop long before this. More for the sake of their child than Gajeel's. Slayer or not, Levy should be in her library reading to their son.

"How can I? You are my soul." She tossed him a sphere.

"Then you haven't been reading the letters I have sent." She was angry with him for not being angry with her.

Alone he looked to the lacrima. "How can I be mad at? She bore my child alone." Turning the lacrima on Levy's face appeared.

It couldn't have been too long after she left. She was tired, thin and blood shot. "Lily tells me you are on some suicide mission since I left. Well I have a surprise for you so you don't destroy too much of your life." Levy stood up. Her dress was pulled tight to her rounded belly. "You probably can't see but this is a part of you, Gajeel. I just found out last week. I wrote you to tell you the news but you are not breaking down my door so I am making you a video."

He could smell her at the door as he watched her video. "You were glowing." He said when she joined him. The image changed. He pulled Levy into his lap. It was not what she expected. It had been hours since she had given him the orb. Levy had come by to see if Gajeel had questions about the mission. Now he was holding her as if she was a teddy bear.

"Four months in and I can't stop eating meat. Wendy thinks it is because your part of this baby." Gajeel ignored the rest of the world around him as he watched Levy balloon out. Then it was her in Wendy's clinic. "Here he is. Makarov Metalicana Redfox." She waved the tiny infant's hand. Gajeel had been there before she shot the video. Mom and baby wore the matching black bandanas that he had brought when he heard her scream in labour.

"The two people we consider our fathers?" The real Levy nodded. Gods she was great to smell and hold again. He couldn't help thinking he wouldn't let her leave again.

Then she looked like what she looks like now. "Gajeel, I don't know when I will give you this but if it comes to you because I failed my mission know, me leaving you was the hardest thing I have ever done. Also if I'm gone Mak is in the spirit realm with Loke and Aries. I will always put Mak first. If you die before I can give it to you I will give it to him so he may know you as I did."

"The angry gentle soul your father raised." The real her said.

"Our son is beautiful. I'm glad he looks like me. You have the little me you wanted." Despite his tight grip on her Gajeel sounded so very annoyed with her.

"That is not fair. What I wanted was the man I loved." Levy pulled herself away. "Your father made it clear I wasn't allowed that."

"You shouldn't have left." He attempted to leave but she blocked his path. "Levy, let me leave. I've got a mission to plan."

"No."

"Shrimp?" She gazed up at him. Big brown eyes on the edge of tears. "This mission is what you wanted me to do."

"Fine. Once this mission is over we should talk about what you want to do about Mak. He will eventually need his father and a dragon slayer teacher."

"That should be easy. I want my son under my roof. I want my wife in my arms. I don't care about what my father wrote in the cursed book. You are my life. When you die I will follow. This last two years should have proven that."

it was true. She didn't want to deny that. Since the war with Zeref he hadn't left her side. Then she left out of the blue. "Mak is already showing signs of dragon blood." Shit. Dark Mavis will take her life to save him and the last thing they did together was argue. This was not the final good bye he deserved.

"You think?"

"Don't you fucking start. If I was the one to live freakishly long would you have stayed to someday break my heart?"

"Yes!" She took a step back. "The greatest adventure I have wanted was to have you at my side to share the world with. I wouldn't have left but I would have found a way to not break your tiny fragile heart."

"Gajeel-"

"My heart was covered in iron that becomes steel when you were in danger." His massive hands covered her face. "I love you more than I ever thought I could love anyone. Even myself." His hands slide away. "When you left me you shattered it. Like it was glass. I didn't know you had that kind of magic. I wanted to die. I drank myself into a stupor every day so that I wouldn't see you everywhere. Lil pointed out that I needed a more constructive way to kill myself. That was the S-Class Missions. Now I am working to make the world better for the son I have only held once." Levy teared up. "Can I go now that I have answered your questions?" She just nodded. "By the way, I did read your letters. I was there when you gave birth then held our son as you slept. You have done a fine job raising him these eight months."

Then Gajeel was gone, Levy broke down crying. If she knew that it would hurt him this much, she probably wouldn't have left. At the time she thought that she was being selfish. Now knowing Metalicana's prophecy was true she knew. How was she going to fix this? Could she? Could she find a away to break the curse, Metalicana's prophecy and win back the man she loved? The dragon said that death was needed to break the anti-aging curse. What were the dragons thinking? Bringing them 400 years into the future and then cursing them? So many questions.


	7. Chapter 7

SUDDEN THOUGHTS

CHAPTER SEVEN

Before Gajeel woke, he smiled her lilies. Levy had been in his room. Turning over he noticed something on the pillow, he saved for her. A paper? That got his attention. A picture of baby Makarov lay on her pillow next to Gajeel. His unruly brown hair and her big chocolate brown eyes. In his arms a toy version of Gajeel. With a smile on the doll's face. Levy's dainty hand layered with Mak's and Gajeel. Their first family photo. On the back was today's date, the Redfox boys.

"Fuck, I love her." There was a knock. Cold mint ice. The second person void of smell held iron and ink. "Yeah?" Gajeel sat up reaching for a shirt. He had been living at the guild since they started guild hunting. Partly because home still reminded him of her. Partly because dark guild hunter was a full time gig. A special branch was created for the guild hunters and crew. Makarov lead the team while Erza ran the guild. Erza had been feeding them some information for a while now. Now Gajeel knew where Erza got all her information from.

"It's Gray." As if Gajeel didn't know. Levy knew everything. The only person that would get this much info would be Jellal or Levy. The fear that she was going on those missions again shook his heart. She could die without him there to protect her. Sure Levy was strong but she didn't know the dark guilds like he knew them.

"Come on in." Gajeel stood to pull up his pants. Loke was there with the baby. Sleeping baby Makarov looked just like Levy. "Why did you bring Mak here? Shouldn't he be with Levy?" Carefully Loke passed the child to his father.

"Levs is going back, deep undercover. She thought that maybe you would like to hold your son before going into battle." Loke said. "Was she wrong?"

"I wanted to hold her and our son before I go into a battle that could possible kill me." Had Gajeel not been there for the birth, he wouldn't have believed this was Levy's child. Other than his eyes there was nothing of Levy. Yet there Mak was in his arms smiling in his sleep as he heard his father speak. "He is smaller than I remember."

"Just less blankets." Loke looked to Gray. "Juvia got Silver packed yet?" Gajeel snickered. Juvia and Levy were two sides of the same coin.

"Please she is the worst first time mother ever. Aries is probably getting a lecture." They laughed. "Silver is only a month old so I am not surprised." From everything that Gajeel had heard Levy had been the ideal first time mom. She didn't freak out and wasn't too over protective. Even if the only people Levy would let look after him were the spirits and Lucy.

"Bunny girl and Flame brain better get on this. We are all going to be old men when there is the next generation of fire dragons." Gajeel said kissing his son. "Or is he as wigged out about losing her as Levy is?"

"It's getting worse. He went on his last three missions alone so neither she nor Happy die." Loke sighed. "He has loved her longer than she has been in the guild. Now he realizes that he will not have her forever. It's better to leave her than to face the thought of her dying as he watched helplessly. He watched future Lucy die. It almost drove him to dragon form."

"Igneel raised him to be a pussy." Gajeel said. His son yawned. "Yeah, your Mommy is as beautiful as she is brilliant. When she dies you will be the proof that she lived a happy life. If I die you are the proof that I gave her that happiness."

Loke suddenly frowned then sighed. "I have to go. Natsu is home. They are waiting for him. If you can keep Mak for a little while."

"Take your time." Gajeel said taking his son to the war room. Sting and Rogue sat talking. Sting's jaw dropped seeing Gajeel with his child. "Is Levy still here somewhere?"

"She is prepping the magic vehicles." Rogue said smiling. "Gajeel, she may not come out of her mission this time." The Iron dragon slayer growled glaring up at younger slayer. Sting pulled his friend back. "Its alright."

"Let's go say bye to Mommy." Gajeel looked back at Rouge. "A few years ago I would have glared at a baby in my arms. Honestly I never thought that I would get the joy Levy gives me. I will never let that be taken from me."

Gray followed Gajeel. "I am smiling about the fact that when we win this battle Levy will come home. She will have forgotten why she left." Juvia and Aries met them at the garage doors. "Ready to go love?" Aries took Silver away.

"I'm worried about Silver." Gajeel took his best friend's hand. "How do you do it?"

"Easy, I know that he is in the best hands I could ever ask for." Gajeel spied Levy then. She gave commands as if she was back in the council's rune knights. "She is fierce, smart and worth more than all the iron in the kingdom but sometimes you have to let them go. I was the start of her grown up life. She never really got to know what kind of adult she was. Until we were disbanded."

Gajeel had left only to find her ahead of the game and waiting for him at the council training camp. There he watched her bloom into someone he could never live without. Then she left him. Now she was the perfect mate. Strong both mentally and physically. Beautiful beyond anything he could tell her. Still caring as the day he beat the tar out of her. Nothing was going to stop him taking her to their home.

Levy saw them standing there. Gajeel holding the blanketed bundle she had left with Loke. Part of her wished he could hold Mak forever but the rational part of her said he needed to give Mak back to Loke. "Redfox!" Gajeel rose at the use of his surname on the lips of his Shrimp. When had she ever called him by their surname? Mak had woken up at his mother's angry voice. Gajeel just smiled. His heart burst with love just knowing Levy got that reaction from both her men. "Mak is supposed to be with Loke." Levy stomped over to them. Gajeel sighed inwardly. This version of her was sexier.

"Don't care. I have him now." The dragon slayer pulled the baby away from his mother. Levy made her annoyed face. "Ooo Mommy has her game changing face on. You better not be like me, Mak. Mommy's face is scary." His son giggled. Before she could protest Gajeel took her into his free arm kissing her. His hand still reached the full span of her shoulder blades. Her skin still soft though he could feel the scars on her back. This was not a quick kiss. The bones melting kiss he used to give her before the book. "There." He gihi-ed down at his Shrimp. She was still effected by him. "The dreaded Mommy monster has been slain." The baby cooed.

"Gajeel-" She sighed.

"Levy, shut up and let me play with your Shrimp." He took his son away. "What does he eat?" She smiled at her slayer. If life was going to be like this then she shouldn't have left.

"He is still on milk. Some solids but that happens at real meal time." She pulled them into the closest office. Locking the door she closed the blinds. "Heard his belly rumble?" Levy folded down her halter top. That was when he noticed that her perfect breasts were larger. Not by much but she was even more gorgeous.

"Mak made your hungry face." Gajeel watched their son hungrily take her nipple. His heart smiled. This was his family. He had his own personal family. Not just the guild and Lily. This was his mate and their first child. "Levy when this is over you two are coming home."

Gods she wanted to. Seeing them side by side nearly destroyed her. If he knew how far this had gone someone would die. Never mind her part of the mission. "Not yet, Gajeel. I have made a new home for myself. You are dear to me but I will not see you watch me die."

"How could I ever regret this or you in my life? What I would regret is not dying with you so we could be reborn to find each other again." That was an odd thing to say.

"Spending a lot of time with Cana, I see." Gajeel was amused at her frown.

"Ha. You are jealous of Cana. Now you know how I feel." She looked up at him, glaring the little glare that he once was scared of. One of the images he craved from her. "Cana at least doesn't run away when things get hard."

"You didn't read what I read." She looked back to their child. Levy could feel her throat closing. It had been a full month since she felt strangled talking about her and Gajeel. Now he was making her remember how much she missed him. Her choice was clear. She would save him.

Gajeel's hands clenched the arms of the chair. "You wouldn't let me. Short of the message he left for me to start that week from hell."

"Your father warned me away from you. Your own father wrote that I had to give up her life to break the curse he put on you at five." She might as well tell him everything.

"What were the exact words Levy?"

His angry voice snapped her into defensive mode. Every time. Levy didn't want to argue. She wanted Gajeel to kiss her, forgive her and take her home. If this was going to be the last time that she would ever seem him they would be loving each other. "You are doubting my translation?"

"You got loved one wrong." She cast her steel plate word. He took it from mid air and bit it in half.

"Get out Gajeel." Loke was on the other side of the door as the slayer left. "He doesn't understand."

"Let him read it then. Just not out loud." She smirked. Loke looked away as Levy adjusted her shirt. "What harm would it do?"

"He could prove me wrong. Based on the new information, I don't think I was wrong." Loke took Makarov from his mother. "I made the discussion rashly, out of fear. I don't need him to prove that it was foolish."

"If you know it was foolish why not go back? He evidently still loves you as he once did and knows more about you and his son than you give him credit for." Levy sighed.

"Problem is, if this is to work, the one who destroys the Dark Mavis will most certainly die. The link magic is more powerful than ten times what Laxus used. The only ones that can get through the boundaries are going to be script mages."

"Have you told Freed?" How many times must she tell people that she wouldn't sacrifice Freed to save Gajeel?

"Nope. He and Cana just started dating. I will not put that kind of strain on them. Gajeel will still be here for Mak when I succeed."

"Gajeel is going to freak when he finds out. Dead or alive."

"That is why only Mavis, you, Rogue and, I know. No one even knows they have a Dark Mavis let alone where it is. If I can get this done before the battle Gajeel's team will breeze though the capture mission."

"He will find out. After the battle."

"I know. I will take his 'kill me with kindness' act. Then I will see if I can live in this world without him. That is. If I live at all."


End file.
